Pinching type chopsticks with locking means

ABSTRACT

Pinching type chopsticks comprising two pinching members having one end of both pinching members jointed together and on both pinching members, longitudinally disposed L slots, within which a sliding pin serves as locking means. When the said pin is disposed in the short legs of the L slots the chopsticks are free for pinching and releasing movement. When the pin moves along the long legs of the L slots and towards the pinching members tips the open end of the chopsticks becomes tightly closed and locked.

United States Patent 11 1 Lin 1 1 June 17, 1975 [54] PINCHING TYPE CHOPSTICKS WITH 696,302 3/1902 Bassett 81/43 LOCKING MEANS 964,526 7/1910 Knapp 81/43 3,169,034 2/1965 Epstein 294/16 Inventor: (Ihun-Cheng Tainan, Taiwan. 3,265,068 8/1966 01011311. 294 16 x China 3,640,561 2/1972 Law 294/16 Assigneez Chum Chang Enterprise 3,815,607 6/1974 Chester 81/43 X C t T ,T ,Ch'

orpora aman alwan ma Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry [22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 451,539 [57] ABSTRACT Pinching type chopsticks comprising two pinching 52 us. (:1. 294/16; 81/43; 294/33; members having one end of both pinching members 294/99 R jointed together and on both pinching members, longi- [51] Int. Cl. 1325b 9/02 tudinaliy disposed L Slots, within which a iding pin 5 Fi f Search 294/ 5 1 1 1 33 99 R, serves as locking means. When the said pin is disposed 294 100 11 24/239 TC, 255 2 2 0; in the short legs of the L slots the chopsticks are free 551/43; 128/321, 346, 354; 269/6 for pinching and releasing movement. When the pin moves along the long legs of the L slots and towards 5 References i d the pinching members tips the open end of the chop- UNITED STATES PATENTS sticks becomes tightly closed and locked, 279,267 6/1883 Nock 24/230 TC X 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures m Mlllllil 1,1" ,1

PINCIIHNG TYPE (IHUPSTICKS WITH LOCKING MEANS FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to pinching type chopsticks, and more particularly to a substitute for ordinary chopsticks having locking means provided to enable a sure grip and relieve the fingers of the user from fatigue, and also aid those who are not familiar with handling ordinary chopsticks.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION To use an ordinary pair of chopsticks usually is difficult to Westerners. When the object to be picked up is slippery or delicate the grip becomes not so sure, and during a lengthy holding even a skillful user would feel his fingers becoming fatigued. To have two sticks jointed at one end and open at the other end would enable an easier pinching operation. However, one has to hold tight with the fingers to keep the open ends closed so that the object being gripped will not fall.

The present invention provides the ordinary chopsticks with pinching type structure, in addition, a locking device to overcome the abovesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an ordinary pair of chopsticks with one end jointed together and the other end opened.

Another object is to provide such a pinching type chopsticks with a locking pin slidably mounted in L- shaped slots disposed longitudinally along the pinching members to serve as sure grip locking means.

Still another object is to provide such kind of pinching chopsticks to substitute for an ordinary pincette with improved grip.

Further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed drawmgs.

BRiEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the operation of the said pinching type chopsticks.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment which serves as a substitute for ordinary pincette; and

FIG. 3 shows the improved pincette in operation.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Refer to FIG. 1 which shows a typical embodiment of the present invention, The pinching type chopsticks have two pinching members 1-1, each with a pinching tip or grip jaw 11 at its front end and jointed together at the other end 12. Between pinching tip 11 and joint 12 and near the jointed end is a portion 13 having disposed thereon an L-shaped slot 14 longitudinally along the portion 13. The L-slot I4 has a long leg 141 and a short leg 142. A pin 2. is slidably retained in the slots. In pinching operation, the tips 11 are lowered and the pin 2 slides downwardly toward the tips. With the jaws II closed, the object picked up is held tightly. The pin 2 then serves as locking means to give a sure grip. At this time, even if the user releases his fingers from the chopsticks, the locked condition would still be main tained. On the outer surface of portion 13 zigzags 131 are formed to facilitate a better grip and easier retaining ability of the pin 2, of course, the under surface of the heads of pin 2 may also be formed in zigzag pattern.

laws 11 may be formed with crocodile-type teeth 11 I as in FIGS. 2 and 3, or with parallel S patterns 1 11 as shown in FIG. l, or even with notches longitudinally along the length of the pinching member for better gripping of the object to be picked up.

In FIG. 2, portion 13 is located at the middle. The pinching type chopsticks then could be used to substitute for an ordinary pincette.

In FIG. 3 the pin 2 is trapped in the short leg 142 of L-slot 14. Therefore the pincette is free to open and close.

The above embodiment is given only for illustrative purpose and not by way of limitation, and modification will become evident to those skilled in the art which will fall within the scope of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. Pinching type chopsticks comprising two pinching members, one end of both pinching members being joined together and the other end being open, each pinching member having an inner and an outer face, L-shaped slots in each of said members, said slots having a long leg longitudinally disposed with respect to each respective member and with a short leg transversely disposed at the end of the long leg closest to the joined ends of said members, a pin slidably received within said slots and serving as a selective locking means, said pin having a diameter which is less than the slot width so that said pin can move under the influence of gravity within said slot, said pin having at each of its ends enlarged portions that are outwardly disposed with respect to the outer faces of the respective members, a Zigzag formation on each of said outer faces adjacent said long legs of each slot, said formation being engageable with an associated enlarged portion of said pin as said pin is moveable within said long legs of said slots, whereby when the chopsticks are so disposed that said pin lies in said short leg the chopsticks are free for pinching and releasing movement and when the chopsticks are so disposed that said pin lies in said long leg said pin is slidable in a first direction of movement toward said open end of the chopstick to a position in said long slots as determined by the extent of the pinching movement and, at this position, said pin is restrained by the zigzag formation until there is additional pinching movement causing release of said pin and said pin is free to move, in a second direction of movement, toward said short legs. 

1. Pinching type chopsticks comprising two pinching members, one end of both pinching members being joined together and the other end being open, each pinching member having an inner and an outer face, L-shaped slots in each of said members, said slots having a long leg longitudinally disposed with respect to each respective member and with a short leg transversely disposed at the end of the long leg closest to the joined ends of said members, a pin slidably received within said slots and serving as a selective locking means, said pin having a diameter which is less than the slot width so that said pin can move under the influence of gravity within said slot, said pin having at each of its ends enlarged portions that are outwardly disposed with respect to the outer faces of the respective members, a zigzag formation on each of said outer faces adjacent said long legs of each slot, said formation being engageable with an associated enlarged portion of said pin as said pin is moveable within said long legs of said slots, whereby when the chopsticks are so disposed that said pin lies in said short leg the chopsticks are free for pinching and releasing movement and when the chopsticks are so disposed that said pin lies in said long leg said pin is slidable in a first direction of movement toward said open end of the chopstick to a position in said long slots as determined by the extent of the pinching movement and, at this position, said pin is restrained by the zigzag formation until there is additional pinching movement causing release of said pin and said pin is free to move, in a second direction of movement, toward said short legs. 